Man in Raichur held for duping farmer of Rs 28 lakh with promise of treasure
Raichur: Hatti Police have uncovered a fraud case where a man in Lingasuguru taluk was duped of Rs 28 lakh under the false promise of uncovering hidden treasure. The accused has been arrested.
The arrested man, identified as Sharanappa (42), a resident of Udukal village in Gangavathi taluk, allegedly visited Allasab of Kotha village on May 22, 2023. He convinced Allasab that there was hidden treasure in his field and promised to help him recover it. However, Sharanappa demanded Rs 28 lakh to facilitate the discovery.
Believing the claim, Allasab paid the money. Shortly after midnight on the same day, Sharanappa took Allasab to the field, instructed him to offer prayers, and had him dig out a pot. Convincing Allasab that the pot contained gold, Sharanappa placed it in a bag and handed it to him. He instructed Allasab to worship the pot for 11 months without opening it to ensure access to the treasure. Sharanappa further assured Allasab that he would personally perform rituals to secure the treasure after the worship period. He then left with the Rs 28 lakh.
Following the instructions devoutly, Allasab worshipped the pot for 11 months. However, on January 5, 2025, when he opened the bag, he was shocked to find only gold-coloured metal plates.
Realizing the deception, Allasab filed a police complaint on January 20. A team from Hatti Police Station, led by Sub-inspector Hosakerappa, investigated the matter and arrested Sharanappa.
Police have reportedly seized Rs 5.6 lakh in cash and six iron plates painted gold from the accused.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ayush signs off with silver at Badminton Asia Championships
Ningbo (China) (PTI): India's Ayush Shetty signed off with a silver medal after his giant-killing run ended in a straight-game loss to world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi in the final of the Badminton Asia Championships here on Sunday.
The 20-year-old from Mangalore struggled to find his rhythm, going down 8-21, 10-21 to the reigning world champion from China, as India's 61-year wait for a men's singles gold at the event continued.
Despite the loss, it was a creditable campaign from the unseeded youngster, who became only the second Indian men's singles player after Dinesh Khanna to reach the final of the continental showpiece.
Khanna remains the only Indian singles champion at the event, having won the title in 1965. Since then, only the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have lifted the trophy, winning it in 2023.
World No. 25 Ayush entered the contest on the back of defeats to Shi at the Malaysia Super 1000 earlier this year and the Indonesia Masters last season. However, he had played with far greater control and attacking clarity this week, toppling world No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, world No. 4 Jonatan Christie and world No. 7 Li Shi Feng en route to the final.
However, the Indian, a product of the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, failed to counter the tactical discipline of Shi, who used his repertoire of strokes and deception to deny Ayush the opportunity to play his natural attacking game.
Shi dictated the geometry of the court from the outset, controlling the net exchanges and forcing Ayush into the forecourt battle early. The variation in the Chinese player’s game blunted the Indian’s attack, as his smashes lacked precision and he succumbed to scoreboard pressure, leading to rushed shot-making.
Shi Yu Qi logged the opening points with two fine net dribbles to race to a 4-0 lead, as Ayush’s smashes lacked precision early on and he trailed 2-6. A long rally ended with the Chinese player going wide, offering the Indian some respite. A deceptive net shot helped Shi move to 7-4, and he extended the lead to 11-6 as Ayush struggled for control, committing a string of unforced errors.
Shi mixed it up effectively, producing a lovely drop shot and repeatedly drawing the Indian to the forecourt with cross returns like a metronome, forcing errors. Two down-the-line smashes gave Shi a massive cushion of game points, and he sealed the opening game when Ayush sprayed a return wide.
The Indian needed a complete reset to stay alive, and he responded with a thunderous straight smash before diving on both flanks to keep the shuttle in play and move to 3-1 in the second game. Shi continued to test Ayush with backhand deceptive net strokes and pushes to the deep, but the Indian managed to retrieve everything and even found his precision in time, with an on-the-line smash confirmed by Hawk-Eye and a well-constructed rally taking him to 7-2.
However, he couldn't hold on to the momentum as the Chinese clawed back to 7-7 after two long shots and a smash into the net from Ayush. A return that kissed the backline from Shi, followed by another error from Ayush at the net and a return into the net, handed the Chinese the advantage once again at the interval, as he led 11-8.
Shi’s ability to place the shuttle into empty spaces with his repertoire of strokes, often punctuated by a fierce smash, made life difficult for the Indian as he stretched the lead to 13-8. Soon, the Chinese was up 15-9 with another powerful smash.
A body return followed by a straight smash took him to 17-9, and another long shot from Ayush further dented his chances. A perfectly angled smash into the forehand corner brought Shi within two points of victory. He then unleashed a cross-court smash to earn 10 match points and sealed the contest with a return that cramped the Indian, targeting his hip.
